Is the Bank Merger Wave of the 1990s Efficient?: Lessons from Nine Case Studies

This book discusses banking, insurance, and securities regulation, as well as issues in consumer finance and electronic commerce.

In a new era of deregulation, the US banking system is undergoing dramatic consolidation. The authors use detailed case studies to determine the motivation for bank mergers, assess the advertised gains in efficiency and services, and resolve inconsistencies between econometric studies and comparisons of performance in different US states and different countries. As merger activity intensifies, the volume explains both the acceleration of merger activity and the rationales for recent megamergers. The authors also explore the link between consolidation and global competitiveness and dissect client-based universal banking.